Oh no Soror...I simply joined the group because I was very close to a lot of the fellow hearts and iotas, and since they had always shown me love and support, what better way to help than to help them help the community? I wasn't even thinking about joining Delta Sigma Theta yet.

I'm totally with Snoop on this one. I feel as though you don't need to join another org. to learn about Greek life. AS a matter of fact, they always boast about being NON-GREEK. You could've helped them plan their comm. service, and participated w/o being a sweetheart. I get shown love by a lot of people outside of my race/gender, but I'm not going to try to be associated with/fit in with them by any means necessary. I am me. And just refuse to be associated with any org. that does not represent strong women!! I just can't go the flunky route. Being a member of such org(s). is indicative of other characteristics about a person, be the true, or solely speculation. It's just not MY thing, or something I'd condone persisting in MY chapter.

I don't understand why this gets so much debate. I WAS an Alpha Angel, I was never disrepected by any Alpha. I was never asked to sleep with anyonw. In fact we were told by the Dean on the Sphinxman line that if we slepp with any Alphas that would be on us and that was not going to make us Angels. We would be ruining our name not them. I didn't join to learn about greek life. I joined because I had friends that were Alphas (one of which later became my husband) and I had friends that were on line. the Alphas on our campus were very positive black brothers, dedicated to being involved in the community and uplifting our black community. They were the ones celebrating black women. Every year they did a tribute to black women were they honored various black women on our campus. Now keep in mind this all took place when pledging was out in the open. It was pure fun and nothing more. Now I'm sure there are those that did sleep with their brothers, but them being a hoe would have happened regardless of a sweetheart organization. I don't hink being a former member of a sweetheart organization, speaks to anyone's character. It doesn't make you less of a Delta or any other Sorority that you pledge. Let's face it, there are some Sorority members that was never part of a sweetheart org and their character is very questionable. Their are those were the biggest hoes on their campus. Somebody please explain to me ow being in a sweetheart organization, is representative of not being a strong women? Am I considered weak just because I was a Alpha Angel? If you went to school in the 90's you probably won't understand what the roles of sweethearts were during pledging. Also lets face it the black woman has always been the backbone of our men. If you know anything about the history of other organizations, you would realize they hold the black woman in high esteem. Lets not forget that the Sphinx guarded the pyramids.

Red6-

I never understood why this got such debate either. Or why it often turns into an opportunity for SORORS to disparage other SORORS. I find many do not have the ability to see that their belief or definition of who or what a Sweetheart is may not be accurate or universal or correct depending on what time frame you are talking about. Or location for that matter. As you stated your character is your character no matter what organization you belong to- sweetheart, Delta, United Way, Girl Scouts- you are who you are. And you decide how you will carry yourself or let people treat you in all settings.

Just because you do not understand something or someone else's choice does not automatically make it a bad thing. I get challenged on my choice to join a Sorority by those who do not understand it but that by no means makes it a bad thing. Because they want to attribute snobbery, and the characteristics of a follower, to joining an organization does not make it true. Now, I am by no means comparing being a Sweetheart to being a Soror, I am just saying I see it as equally wrong to paint all people with one brush in this circumstance as it is in any other. And I think some would be surprised at which Sorors they admire on one hand but dis on the other not realizing the were Sweethearts once upon a time.

There are those that would make the same arguement about pledging. That being in a greek organization is being a flunky. This reminds me of that if you didn't pledge pre-intake than you are not as good a soror as I am debate. I entered college in 1989 when a few of you were probably still in junior high, so to not understand what sweethearts were back in the day is understandable. Its kind of like this, if you aren't a Soror, you could never really truly know what being a Delta is all about. Again I left Alpha Angel behind me when I crossed the burning sands (should i dare say that) into Deltaland. And would never refer to myself as an Alpha Angel. But does being a Angel make me weak or a lesser Delta or put into question my character? No.
To play Devil's advocate (because that's what a 6 does) there are some sweethearts that pledged harder than those in a Sorority.

I do understand what you are saying. We do have a lot of arguments that are on the same vain. I also recall the time of pledging being above ground. (Just a touch- I came in right as it was called to an end- entering class of 91) And on my campus they took a while to catch up to the new standards as we were in the boondocks. I also left my sweetheart days behind. If anyone asks I WAS a sweetheart, not am.

In orde to adequately be coined a groupie/flunkee, there must be two or more parties (i.e., orgs.) involved. How can I be a Delta, and a Delta groupie? It just doesn't work that way. At most one could suggest I am a follower--which is not the care, nor one of the accusations I had about sweethearts. Just to reiterate, I am nowhere near being a follower!!! My point is, you can't compare sweets to sorors. and why wold anyone be groupies to a MALE org. which has a main purpose--understandably--of promoting brotherhood. Because we all know DST is to promote sisterhood, and uplift women since we are afterall women ourselves. I tell all males interested in being Delta flunkees the same thing. Associate yourself with something that promotes what you are first. Public Service is great, which all orgs. promote, but be a strong woman, and affiliate yourself with orgs. for strong independent women, not women who are male flunkees.

Don't forget the Pyramid Club
 

First and foremost I never compared Delta to any sweetheart organization. I never said they were on the same level at all. But my question is, Is a Soror that was a former sweetheart a flunkee or follower? No. I'm assuming and I could be wrong but when I first went to college a few of you were still in junior high so you never had the opportunity to see first hand what sweethearts do or in my case did. Also in e can argue that Delta does have groupies, they are called girls that are interested. Or back in the day the Pyramid Club. Were I went to school, I found that many sorors had been sweethearts as with many members of other organizations. It wasn't looked odwn upon, because the greek community was close and it was something that most did their freshman year.
Some may think that those who pledged are followers and flunkees. Its jus a difference of opinion. But I would hope that questioning a Soror's character in any case would not be acceptable.

Your sweetheart experience is that of the minority. Your reccount of it sounds pretty positive. However, if you wanted to pledge a sorority, why didn't you channel your energies and interests towards supporting the programs and so forth of the sorority, as opposed to focusing on having big brothers and supporting a fraternity? This would be the issue that I would have for young ladies who claim that they are not groupies and had a good experience. Despite popular opinion, sororities were not founded to get closer to men or be a subsidiary for any fraternity. If you are interested in membership, do things that are conducive to that interest...not things that are centered around a fraternity.

With all due respect, the "stepping stone" is having a tight GPA, doing community service, talking to the members of that sorority (if possible), and supporting their programs. Affiliation with a fraternity cannot help you in terms of pursuiing membership in a sorority.

Soror, it is interesting that you're so bothered by this discussion. It is good for you to feel proud that you are nationally recognized as an Iota Sweetheart...it is good for YOU. However, what you CHOOSE to do is an individual decision. As your soror, I am only obligated to be LOVING and SISTERLY toward you as a person and as a fellow member of DST...not respect you as a sweetheart. In my OPINION, your membership in DST supercedes and cancels out your sweetheart membership. I do not doubt your love for Delta, but I hope your love for Delta is not being shared with that for Iota Sweetheartdom. "ALL of my love, my peace and happiness...I will give to DELTA...."

As I said before, I love my sorors and wouldn't disrespect them b/c they were sweethearts...I just choose not to acknowledge that aspect of them. I see you playing devil's advocate, however, pledge "harder" is so relative...and pledge "harder" for what would be the question.

Re: Don't forget the Pyramid Club
 

I know about the Pyramid Club. I know people who were members of the Pyramid Club back in the 60's. I don't see anything wrong with being a "groupie" for the organization that you wish to pledge your devotion to. So, there's nothing wrong with being a DST "groupie" in my opinion. I don't see the analogy between the Pyramid Club and a sweetheart organization.

Re: Re: Don't forget the Pyramid Club
 

My point is that one can not question the womanhood of someone they do not know. To say that someone is a flunkee and a follower for something they have chosen to do is judgemental. Again I would never say that I am an Angel, that is in the past. I agree with ChaosDST that Delta supercedes that. My point is not o agrue Delta vs. Sweetheart. Which is more important, because I already know this. My point is that Soror's character is being questioned.
How many came in with the minimum GPA? I had a 3.5, does that make me a better Soror? Should I say those who came in with the minimum GPA, didn't have good study habits and they were probably to busy partying? I would be making a generalization. Truth be told there are some people in Fraternity's and Sorority's that are followers. In my experience we have to be careful when questioning someone's character.

Re: Re: Don't forget the Pyramid Club
 

I'm not saying their is but some would say that we do have groupies. I'm not even saying its bad. hell some of us were groupies. There are thise that are so far up our azzes we have to remove them before we take a chit.
I love Delta. There was no other choice for me. Being an Alpha Angel is not even secondary to me, because in my eyes, I am no longer affiliated. But to say that those Sorors or woman that are part of these organizations are followers and groupies are pushing it. There are also organizations such as Alpha wives, etc. (Of which I could have belonged to). What do you think of them?